Regulating apparatus



March 11, 1930. J" BLAKE 1,150,155?

REG-ULATING APPARATUS Filed. Nova. 1, 1926 2 sheets shea'l; l

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'REGULATING APPARATUS Filed. Nov. 1, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 32 3 2 20 ,r 6Q /7a 1 1 f1 1 57 l l H i l x w 1 E/ l 1 A9 1 1 l1 i F 2% L J H H1 i l H I 1 J A6 A6 /7 24 55 5/ a; 70

Patented iii, i935? STATES ELI 3'. BLAKE, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY FIEFETQ'E ASSIGNMENTS, TCD

SIMPLEX EQUIPMENT COMPANY, TING, DELAWARE G1 NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATIGN' PF REGULAQHTG AFPMAT'US Application filed November My invention relates to electrical regulating and controlling apparatus and is especially applicable to voltage regulating apparatus for lighting equipment such as is used in railwag carsfor example.

11 object of my invention is to provide a regulator of the compressible resistance type which shall be highly efiicient in action, compact in construction andconstructed to be substantially unaffected by the jolting of the car in motion.

Another object of my invention is to provide a regulating apparatus capable of powerful action and yet occupying a mini- 16 mum of space, and more particularly to provide a regulator operated by torsion magnets arranged to give the maximum operative force for the space occupied.

A further object of my invention is to provide a regulator construction actuated by torsion magnets in which the flux is substantially symmetrically distributed and the forces ending to turn the movable part or parts of the magnet substantiall balanced,

thereby reducing the strain on the bearings of the movable part or parts to the minimum.

A further object is to provide a regulator combined with a switch operated by torsion magnets having common pole pieces but separate energizing coils.

Other objects'will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be herein after described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention,

Figure 1 shows in front elevation the assembled apparatus embodying my invention a, ltifiil. Serial No. M55953.

in connection with a complete diagrammatically illustrated lighting system;

Figure 2 is a horizontal central section of the magnetic elements and the movable parts thereof;

Figure 3 is a detached fragmentary front elevation of the magnetic elements of the apparatus, and V Figure 4 shows a front elevation of bi-polar magnets, each of the same size and strength as the homopolar magnets shown in Figure 3, and illustrates, by comparison to Figure 3, the much greater space required if certain features of my invention are not utilized.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings, 1 represents a generator driven for example from a car axle, supplying current to the battery 2 and the lamps 3. The generator regulator may comprise a carbon pile 4 in series with the generator field winding 5. One end of the carbon pile at may rest against the fixed abutment 6. The other end may be acted upon by the magnet 7 through the lever 8. In series with the magnet 7 there may be a temperature compensating resistance 9. Against the other side of the abutment 6, may rest a carbon pile 10 adapted to shunt a portion of the temperature compensating resistance 9. The carbon pile 10 may be acted upon by the torsion magnet 11 through the lever 12. Intermediate the torsion magnets 7 and 11, may be placed a torsion magnet 18 actuating the main switch 14. Variations in voltage at the battery due to conditions of charge may be compensated at the lamp circuit by a lamp regulator 15, a convenient form of which is shown in the drawings but which forms no part of this invention and hence is not described in detail.

The torsion magnets may be in the form and arrangement shown in Figures 2 and 3 in which 16, 17 and 18 are the respective rotatable armatures of .the magnets 7, 11 and 13. Surrounding the core 16 of the armature 16 may be an energizing voltage coil 19 in series with the voltage coil 20 surrounding the core 18 of the armature 18. Surrounding the core 17 of the armature 17 may be an energizing current coil 21 in series with a current coil 22 surrounding the core of the armature 18. At one end the rotatable armatures may be provided with elongated segments 24, 25 and 26 approximating in length the diameter of the energizing coils. The frame 27, which supports the magnetic elements, may be a portion of the support for the regulators and other apparatus. This frame may be adapted to provide the yoke pieces 28, 29, 30 and 31 completing, with the frame, the rotatable armatures and their elongated segments, the respective magnetic circuits of which have been conveniently indicated by arrows in Figure 2.

In operation, when the speed of the generator reaches a predetermined value, the voltage coil 20 may operate to energize the armature 18 sufliciently to close the main switch 14. Immediately the current coil 22 becomes active and, as the generator speed increases, further energizes the armature 18 to hold the main switch closed, until on a subsequent slowing down of the generator, the voltage of the battery exceeds that of the generator, when the current in coil 22 will reverse, oppose the action of the coil 20 and cause the switch to open. Under charging conditions, the voltage coil 19 may operate to energize the armature 16 and cause it to turn clockwise in opposition to a spring (not shown) to regulate through the lever 8 the pressure on the pile 4, thereby controlling the field current and the generator voltage. The current coil 21 responsive to increasing current may operate to turn the armature 17 in a clockwise direction, increasingth'e pressure on the pile 10, thereby reducing the resistance in the circuit of the voltage coil 19 and the voltage required to balance the spri of the magnet 7 and consequently the stan ard of voltage maintained. When the current coil 21 is active, the generator is regulated directly by voltage through coil 19 and indirectly by current through coil 21. The proportion of voltage or current control can be determined by varying the value of the resistance 10 and the portion of the resistance 9 shunted thereby. In effect, the current coil 21 and its associated parts act as a multiplier affecting the voltage coil 19.

By using carbon piles with one end fixed in conjunction with a torsion magnet, a constant relation between pressure and armature position is obtained. By suitably forming the end faces of the elongated segments of the armature, it is possible to use a large part of the total power of the spring to compress the carbon without any substantial reduction in the voltage, say, of the coil 19.

A typical normal cycle of operation is as follows. As the train equipped with my regulator starts from rest, the voltage of the generator 1 will gradually increase until it reaches a predetermined value such as thirtytwo volts at which the voltage coil 20 will cause the automatic switch 14 to close. As the train speed continues to increase, the generator voltage will continue to increase and current will be supplied the battery 2. Thereupon, the current coil 22, in series with the generator and the battery, will be energized and act to reinforce the coil 20 in holding the contacts of the switch closed. When the speed has increased to such a point that the current supplied the battery has reached the desired maximum, the series current coil 21 energizing the armature 17 operates as indicated above to reduce the standard of the voltage regulating elements associated with the volta e coil19 so that the armature 16 moves to reduce thepressure on the carbon pile 4, thereby limiting further increase in generator voltage and current. As the operation is continued and the battery approaches full charge, the current to the battery will decrease and, with the decrease in current, the current actuated armature 17 may return to its initial position so that thereafter the voltage regulator may maintain a constant voltage output from the eneratpr.

When the train slow own for the next stop, the voltage regulator will continue to maintain a constant voltage output so long as the train speed permits. As the speed further decreases, the generator voltage will also decrease until ultimately it becomes less than the battery voltage. Current from the battery will now begin to flow in a reverse direction through the current coil 22 of the automatic switch 14 opposing the voltage coil 20 with the result that the switch will be allowed to open and further discharge of the battery through the generator prevented. Without entering into a description of the lamp regulator 15 which forms no part of this invention, it will be noted from Figure 1 that the battery, the lamp or other translating circuit and the lamp regulator are so connected that the lam circuit may be supplied with the current vo tage at any stage of the cycle described above.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, it will be noted that the magnets of my invention permit of an exceedingly compact construction. The saving in space over bi-polar magnets of the same size is shown by comparison with Figure 4. It has been found that homopolar magnets give greater power for the space provided than the bi-polar magnets hitherto used. The division of the flux through the adjacent poles is substantially equal and symmetrical so that there is no strain on the armature bearings, little fric tion and consequently an exceedingly powerful yet sensitive operating magnet is obtained.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided in this invention a regulating apparatus in which the various objects above pointed out as well as many thoroughly practical advantages, are successfully achieved. It will, moreover, be seen that the apparatus is of dependable operation, compact in construction and well adapted to meet the varying conditions of hard practical use.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In an electrical apparatus, the combination with a compressible variable resistance, of a plurality of electromagnets having energizing coils, armature portions rotatable within said coils and a pair of yoke portions for each electromagnet for completing its magnetic circuit.

2. In an electrical apparatus, the combination with a plurality of compressible variable resistances, of a plurality of electromagnets having energizing coils, armature portions within said coils and yoke portions completing the respective magnetic circuits, means whereby one of said magnets varies the pressure on one of said variable resistances and means whereby another of said magnets varies the pressure ,on another of said resistances.

3. In an electrical apparatus, the combination with a source of current, of a divided compressible variable resistance for regulating a function of the energy from said source, a plurality of electromagnets having energizing coils, armatures rotatable with in said coils and yoke pieces completing their respective magnetic circuits, means whereby one of said magnets operates to vary the compressioinof a portion of said resistance and means wherebe another of said magnets operates to vary the compression of another portion ofsaid resistances.

4. In an electrical apparatus, the combination of a compressible variable resistance for regulating a function of the energy flowing from a source of current and a magnet for varying the compression of said resistance, said magnet having fixed yoke pieces, a movable armature rotating between said yoke pieces, and stationary windings surrounding said movable armature.

5. In an electrical apparatus, the combination with a compressible variable resistance for regulating a function of the energy in an electric circuit, of a magnet for varying said resistance including a relatively stationary energizing coil, a rotatable armature and elements providing a return of the magnetic flux, said coil being adapted to surround a portion of said armature, and said armature being adapted to rotate between said elements.

6. In an electrical apparatus, the combination with a compressible variable resistance for regulating a function of the energy in an electric circuit, of a magnet for varying said resistance including an energizing coil, a rotatable armature within said coil and elements parallel to the axis of said armature for completing the magnetic circuit, said coil being adapted to energize said armature and create a flux therein dividing substantially equally between said elements.

7. In an electrical apparatus, the combination with a compressible variable resistance, of a torsion magnet for varying said resistance including a rotatable armature having at one end oppositely extending arms, an energizing winding surrounding a portion of said armature and elements external to said winding for completing the magnetic circuit. the parts of said magnet being so disposed and proportioned that the flux created therein is substantially symmetrical with respect to the axis of said armature.

8. In an electrical apparatus, the combination with a compressible variable resistance, of a torsion magnet for varying said resistance including a rotatable armature having at one end oppositely projecting arms and an energizing winding surrounding a portion of said armature and elements external to said winding for completing the magnetic circuit, the parts of said magnet being so disposed and proportioned that the forces operating to rotate said armature form a couple tending substantially to produce rotation Without translation.

9. In an electrical apparatus, the combination of a movable member and a torsion mag net for operating said movable member, said magnet having fixed yoke pieces, a movable armature rotating between said fixed yoke pieces, and stationary windings surrounding at least a portion of said movable armature.

10. In an electrical apparatus, the combination with a movable member of a torsion magnet for operating said member including a rotatable armature having at one end oppositely extending arms, an energizing winding surrounding a portion of said armature and elements external to said winding for completing the magnetic circuit, the parts of said magnet being so disposed and proportioned that the flux created therein is substantially symmetrical with respect to the axis of said armature.

11. In an electrical apparatus, the combi- 5 Winding surrounding a portion of said armanation with a movable member of a torsion magnet for operating said member including a rotatable armature having at one end oppositely projecting arms and an energizing CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,750,157. Granted March ll, 1930, to

ELI J. BLAKE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of ,the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2,' .line 118, for the word "current" read "correct"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 20th day of May, A. D. 1930.

M. J. Moore, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,750,157. Granted March 11, 1930, to

ELI J. BLAKE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 118, for the word "current" read "correct"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 20th day of May, A. I). 1930.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

